Christmas in 1905

Although the most popular toys for the
current holiday season are electronic, more than a century ago
the toys in Santa's pack were likely to be mechanical. The Lincoln
Evening News on December 23, 1905, said: "One of the
surprises of the Christmas season is the increase in the number
of mechanical toys and the ingenious methods that have been utilized
to make them attractive to the youngsters. A favorite toy for
years and advancing in popularity is the miniature engine pulling
a train of metal cars. A track is furnished, and it can be so
arranged that the train is able to travel around and around until
the locomotive has exhausted its wound up power."

The 1905 Christmas shopper seemed to have
plenty of money to spend: "Indicative of the great prosperity
which prevails is the statement of the merchants that more valuable
gifts have been purchased than [in] any previous season. While
cheap toys are sold in large quantities yet those very expensive
are bought. The child of the twentieth century fares much better
than the child of twenty years ago. The twentieth century youngster
gets more toys and better ones than the eager urchin of more
than a decade ago."

The News noted popular gifts for
adults in 1905: "Cigar dealers say that presents of boxes
of smokes of the better grade are increasing, the sales this
season being the most satisfactory of any. Women are buying more
cigars than formerly and they are of a good grade. Of course
they do not smoke themselves-they purchase them for men friends,
sweethearts, husbands, fathers and even uncles and cousins .
. . .

"'People seem to turn more to jewelry
this year than common,' said one [salesman]. 'The demand for
this class of goods has been beyond expectation. Manufacturers
are making such reliable grades of plated gold articles that
the pure gold does not have the same show as formerly. A plated
locket, cross, pair of cuff buttons or scarf pin wears a long
time if the plate is good and heavy, and looks quite as attractive
as the gold itself.'

"One of the features of the Christmas shopping season is
the number of farmers who come to town to buy gifts in the big
stores. Outside of any of the stores may be seen farmers and
their wives with the vehicles filled with purchases large and
small, ready to drive home with the load which makes children
and others glad."

The only damper on the holiday spirit of
1905: "In every [store] department there are seen standing
about several well dressed men apparently taking a genuine interest
in the movements of the hordes of shoppers. They are seen there
at all hours of the day and an observer with time on his hands
will soon tumble to the fact that they are 'spotters.'

"'Lincoln people must be very honest,'
said one of the watchers. 'I have been on duty the two previous
seasons and have never caught a person pilfering but once.'"

This Christmas greeting from
1907-17 depicted the Cedar River in Nebraska during winter. A
drawing of two girls is inset into the photograph.
NSHS RG3542-142-3